Escape
by kate98
Summary: A wedding day story. Minor Pete-bashing.
1. Jack Makes a Run for It

**Escape**

_Story Notes: Set in season 8. Pete must disappear._

_Disclaimer:  
If they were mine, I'd smile all day  
The things they did would be my way  
But since mine they are not  
Fanfic is all I've got  
So don't sue me 'cause I cannot pay._

* * *

In one typically quick and decisive action, Jack turned around and headed back the way he came. Teal'c swiftly stepped between him and the chapel door, while Daniel locked onto his elbow and steered him back inside. "Wrong way, Jack."

"I forgot something I need to do at the office," Jack protested.

"Un-hunh. What?" Daniel challenged.

"Something important," Jack sulked.

Daniel had been prepared for this, but he had to suppress a sigh nonetheless. He wasn't happy that he was about to plunge headlong into discussion of a personal matter with Jack, and on a taboo subject, too. It felt a lot like sticking your arm into the tiger cage at the zoo. He judged it best to take a swing at the tiger with a rolled up newspaper. In for a penny, in for a pound of flesh, or maybe a limb.

"Jack O'Neill, you are not going to bail out on this," Daniel scolded. "Sam feels the need to have you here, and you are not going to disappoint her."

"Yeah, well, I don't think it's going to break her heart if I'm not here to watch her pledge her undying love to that... that... well, I can't think of anything bad to call him, but I will!"

The sigh escaped this time despite Daniel's best efforts. "Don't make this harder on her. Sam's never really going to move forward unless you're here to let her go."

"Umm, Daniel? She's marrying another man. I think she's the one who let go first."

"You had a chance to make this work out differently. For whatever reason, you didn't take it."

"Dammit, that's none of your business. Why do you even care?" Jack snapped.

"Because I'm tired of seeing Sam hurt."

Jack stared at Daniel, deflated. "The last thing I want is to hurt her."

Daniel looked at Jack, then back at Teal'c. Teal'c inclined his head slightly, a gesture that for him passed as an encouraging nod. "Jack?" Daniel said hesitantly. Jack looked up at him, waiting. "Teal'c and I, we think, well..."

Teal'c interrupted. "You must tell Colonel Carter of your true feelings for her."

"Have you two been watching soap operas again?" Jack asked incredulously. "We're at her _wedding._"

"Seriously, Jack," Daniel replied. "She deserves to know."

"You were the one just telling me to let to her go!"

"No," Daniel said as though he were explaining to a small child, "I said if you _were_ letting her go, you needed to be here so she'd know it."

"We do not believe Colonel Carter is happy, O'Neill," Teal'c interjected.

Clearly, this was reason for pause. "Why not, Teal'c?"

"Because she expends a great deal of effort in attempts to convince us that she is."

"You believe she isn't happy because she says she's happy."

"That is correct, O'Neill."

"Ya know, I expect this kind of bull from Dr. Hearts-and-flowers over here..."

"Hey!" Daniel interrupted.

"But I rely on you to be rational, Teal'c. When have you ever known Carter to do anything she didn't want to do?"

"We're not saying she doesn't want this. But maybe she wants it because she thinks it's all she can have," Daniel said.

"Well, _maybe_ it _is._ Unless the U.S. Airforce had a sudden and dramatic change of heart, the same regulations still apply."

"So, just so we're clear," Daniel said with a pursed-lipped look of profound disapproval, "what you're saying is that your career is more important than the woman you love."

Jack raked his hand through his hair in an attempt to keep it separate from Daniel's throat. "It is not that simple, Daniel," he said through gritted teeth.

"It is."

"You're basically asking me to try to screw up Carter's best shot for a normal life. No. I won't," Jack said with all the decisiveness of a man prepared to dig his heels in for as long as it took. "Even if the guy _is_ a smarmy, stalking, obsequious weenie. Ah! See, I told you I'd come up with something," he added triumphantly.

The door at the side of the chapel's foyer opened, and Cassie's head appeared. "Hi! Please tell me General Carter is with you."

"He has not yet arrived," Teal'c replied.

Cassie grimaced. "You guys better come with me. I need protection if I'm going to give her one more piece of bad news."

"What else is wrong?" Daniel asked.

"There's a list," Cassie replied with a roll of her eyes. "We've got one angry bride on our hands."


	2. The Angry Bride

Daniel followed Cassie into the private room at the rear of the chapel with Jack and Teal'c close behind. Too close, as it turned out, because Daniel stopped short, causing Jack and Teal'c to crash into him. Teal'c's quick reflexes and steadying hand kept Jack from hitting the floor, but Daniel wasn't so fortunate. From his position on the carpet he continued to gape, while Jack's face registered shock and Teal'c's eyebrow rose in bemusement.

Sam stood before a mirrored vanity in her wedding gown. The form-fitting satin bodice demonstrated clearly that for all these many years fatigues had camouflaged her finer assets, but that thought barely made the radar. She stood on one leg, the other resting on the edge of the vanity, oblivious to the fact that the full, gauzy skirt of her dress had slid back far enough to reveal the lace edge of her thigh-high stocking. She was preoccupied, furiously tightening the laces on her combat boots and reciting a string of curse words under her breath.

"Uh, Sam?" Daniel (in some ways the bravest of them all) ventured tentatively as he scrambled to his feet.

"What!" she snarled as she slammed her boot to the floor and spun on him. It was meant as a question but came out as an exclamation.

"You look beautiful?" he replied. It was meant as an exclamation but came out as a question.

Sam sighed in frustration. "Thanks," she grumbled. "Is Dad with you? He was supposed to be here half an hour ago."

Daniel looked expectantly, and somewhat pleadingly, at Jack. Taking the hint with resignation, he took a step forward and dove right in. "He hasn't arrived yet, and we haven't received any word."

"Did you try to contact him?" Sam asked, her voice a fraction below screaming.

Jack's expression said, "Duh!" but his voice too-calmly replied, "Yes, Carter, of course we tried."

Carter flopped into the nearest chair, her skirt puffing out all around. "What else can possibly go wrong? Mark's wife and children have the stomach flu, the florist's truck broke down, and amongst a dozen other little irritations, and I broke the heel off my damned shoe. Now my Dad is AWOL. Who the hell is going to give me away?"

Daniel shot Jack a sidelong glance. "Jack can fill in. In fact, it seems quite fitting."

"Daniel!" Jack and Sam snarled simultaneously.

"I would be honored to assist you," Teal'c quickly interjected in an attempt to defuse the situation.

"Thank you, Teal'c."

An awkward silence descended. Sam stood and smoothed her skirt over her hips. Jack had to look away.

"We should allow you to finish your preparations," Teal'c said.

"Yes. Sorry, Sam," Daniel said, leaning in to kiss her cheek. "First to kiss the bride!" he declared affectionately.

Sam laughed, and it lifted some of the weight that bore down on her. "Teal'c?" she said, "It _is_ a tradition." With a fond smile, Teal'c bent and kissed Sam's cheek. Turning, he gave Daniel a pointed look and they quickly slipped from the room, surreptitiously gesturing to Cassie to follow.

Jack and Sam appraised one another. "Carter..." Jack began.

"Yes?" she asked too quickly, completely afraid of what might come out of his mouth next.

"Combat boots?"

She gave him that smile, the one that made the rest of the world disappear. He was suddenly completely afraid of what might come out of his mouth next. Thankfully, she answered him.

"They were in the trunk of my car. All I had."

"Truth is, it's kinda comforting. I'm not used to seeing you without them."

"They're actually a lot more comfortable than my high heels," she said, kicking a steel toe out from beneath the folds of fabric.

"You look amazing," he said before he could stop the words from escaping. Sam looked up at him, sadness showing despite the smile.

"Thank you, Sir."

"I, uh, better go."

"Sir? Tradition."

They looked at one another mutely for several moments. Jack leaned in and softly brushed his lips to hers.

"Goodbye, Sir," she whispered. Jack didn't look back.

* * *

Daniel and Cassie cornered Jack as soon as he re-entered the foyer.

"So?" Cassie asked.

"Et tu, Cassie?"

"Jack, did you talk to her?" Daniel pushed.

"Did you expect us to pass notes? Take up sign language?"

"Jack!" Disgust rang out in unison.

"Oh! You mean did I put Carter through more emotional upheaval and make a complete ass of myself? No, I passed up that valuable opportunity."

Jack was spared from further interrogation by the arrival of the father of the bride. "Jacob," Jack called, gratefully breaking away to greet him. "You're a sight for sore eyes."

"Why, Jack!" Jacob exclaimed with a hearty dose of sarcasm. "I didn't know you cared."

"Carter hasn't exactly been calm about your late arrival. Plus, Teal'c was going to walk her down the aisle, and we didn't have time to teach him that step-pause-step thing. It could've turned ugly."

Jacob smiled. "Let's get this show on the road. Where's my little girl?"

"I'll take you to her," Cassie offered and led him out of the foyer.


	3. Wrong Way Down the Aisle

The more Jack thought about it, the more he realized this was going to suck all the joy out of his world for good. Oh, he'd known his heart would shatter -- it had broken the day she'd announced the engagement, but now would be beyond repair -- but he didn't expect it to affect _every_ facet of his personality. He knew it was, though, when he realized he hadn't taken a single potshot at Daniel for agreeing to be Sam's maid-of-honor. _She_ called him 'the other best man', but c'mon. Really!

Daniel and Cassie stood up with Sam. Mark and Pete's former partner stood across from them. No more than ten people scattered about the pews made up the sum of the guests. Generals Hammond and Carter, Teal'c and Jack himself were the totality of those seated on the bride's side of the aisle. Three generals and a Jaffa. There was definitely a joke in there somewhere, but he didn't have the heart to find it.

The minister was droning on, but Jack didn't hear a word. A ray of light streaming in through the high windows above the altar surrounded Sam, reflecting the gold in her hair and the soft sheen of her satin dress. He was transfixed. He watched the changes in her face, studied her posture. He knew the subtleties and nuances of her reactions intimately from years of close study. There was something in the set of her shoulders, the tiny creases around her eyes. He was really starting to believe she _was _unhappy.

Why did it suddenly feel like everyone was staring at him? Sam tensed and the thought crossed his mind that she was trying not to turn towards him. His mind played back the last words he had heard. "Or forever hold your peace." Oh, yeah. People were definitely staring, starting with the two bridesmaids. Jack caught Daniel's eye, and could almost hear him thinking, 'Last chance, Jack.'

"What the hell," he found himself announcing glibly to all assembled. "I make an ass of myself on a pretty routine basis. Right, Daniel? What's once more?"

The staring intensified, with the exception of Sam, who steadfastly looked away from him. "Carter, could I just... speak to you for a minute?"

Sam was absolutely still. It was Pete who answered. "General O'Neill, is something wrong?" Jack marveled at the man's ability to maintain that innocent, smiling, wide-eyed expression. It was a skillful deception, despite the combative body language he currently displayed. His arms were crossed tightly across his torso, hands curled into tight fists, shoulders tensed and high, but his friendly smile never faltered. Fleetingly, Jack contemplated asking Carter if her BS-detector was in the shop. She couldn't really be taken in by the 'good cop' routine, could she?

Ignoring Pete entirely, Jack continued, "Carter... _Sam_, please."

She turned on him, literally and figuratively. "What, Jack? What could you possibly have to say now that you couldn't have said six months ago, or six years ago?"

"Six months ago or six _minutes_ ago, you weren't this close to making a huge mistake," he snapped back.

"What gives you the right to judge what I do?"

"I have experience at it," he said snidely, simultaneously wondering how this became an argument.

"I think you should leave," she said through gritted teeth.

"I think you should shut up and listen."

Pete's mask was beginning to slip. "And I think you should show my wife some respect," he said with smug bravado.

"She's not your wife yet, pal."

"I'm not your pal," Pete said, taking a step towards Jack. Teal'c countered with a step towards Pete.

"Enough!" The commanding voice of Jacob Carter rang out. Everyone came to an uneasy halt. "Jack, if you have something to say, say it now and say it quick."

Jack just let the words roll off his tongue. A minute later, he couldn't have told you what he said, just that he said it in earnest and meant every word. "Sam... You may think I'm doing this for selfish reasons, and yeah, I'm in love with you and I'd enjoy watching you marrying someone else like I'd enjoy white-hot needles in my eyes, but that'snot it. I knew you needed things I wasn't free to give you, and I never tried to stand in your way. You deserve to find happiness, I'm all for that, but you aren't happy. I see it in you, I know it. I can't sit back and let you choose unhappiness. Not if there's anything I can do about it."

Pete broke the long, expectant silence that followed Jack's pronouncement. "Sam..."

"I object!" Daniel blurted.

"Me, too!" Cassie jumped in.

"As do I," Teal'c affirmed.

Pete was beginning to lose his cool. "What the hell is with you people?" he yelled.

In a room full of soldiers and cops, it was the archeologist who started the fight. "No offense, Pete. We just have different perspectives," Daniel explained with _his_ best innocent, smiling, wide-eyed expression. "From your perspective this is a wedding, but from ours, it's more like an intervention."

"Sonofabitch," Pete growled, while launching a fist at Daniel's head. Instantly all of SG-1 was in motion. Cassie jumped out of the way as everyone converged. Sam got between Daniel and Pete and pushed, backing Pete away. Teal'c and Jack closed ranks around Daniel, protective as always.

"Stop it, all of you!" Sam yelled. She swept a furious glare over each of the men in her life. "No, you know what? Go ahead. Take each other's heads off. You couldn't make this more of a disaster than it is." She marched back down the aisle to the dressing room and slammed the door. Suddenly really glad she had her boots on, she gave the door a good, hard kick.


	4. Shippers Die Happy

"Sam?" Pete called through the door. When she didn't answer, he slowly opened the door. Sam sat with her head in her hands. She didn't acknowledge his presence.

"Sam, I'm so sorry," he said as he came to crouch beside her chair. "I know I only made it worse. I just couldn't handle the idea that they were trying to take you away from me."

"They couldn't take me away from you," Sam said through her tears, "because you never really had me. I'm the one who's sorry Pete. All of this is my fault. I thought what you and I had would be enough, but it isn't."

Pete stood stiffly and looked down at her with the cold, harsh expression of a wounded man trying to hold on to his pride. Without a word, he turned and walked away. Sam was alone.

* * *

It was a gorgeous day. A perfect day for a wedding, Jack reflected wryly. He sat on a bench in the chapel garden trying to control the wild rush of his emotions. He was alternately hopeful and despairing. Hopeful he would die, despairing that Pete wouldn't. He didn't dare hope anything in reference to Sam. Where she was concerned, he couldn't have screwed up worse if he tried, and not just today. He had screwed up every day of every year he'd let this state of limbo continue.

"Hi," came a soft voice behind him.

He watched her unblinkingly, trying to read her expression as she swept around the bench and sat down beside him. She had been crying -- that much was clear -- which stood to reason considering she had to decide whose heart to break today.

"So," Sam said.

So?"

"So, you had to wait to say it in front of General Hammond, huh? Don't you think it would have been more prudent for the two of us to decide what to do about that whole fraternization thing before we went public?"

Okay. Now he was daring to hope. "Yeah, well, it wouldn't have had that Days of Our Lives quality I was shooting for, but prudent? Definitely."

"What do we do now, Jack?" she asked, slipping her hand into his.

"Some couples date."

"Dating would be really awkward for us, don't you think? We know each other too well. It would just be a prelude to...physical...stuff."

"And who needs a prelude?" Jack smirked.

"Right," Sam agreed.

"Right?" The smirk was gone, replaced by the look of someone met with shockingly good fortune.

"Right," Sam said decidedly (and also rather clearly pleased with her ability to shock). "I think we've earned the right to skip some steps." Moving closer, she rested her head on his shoulder. He raised the hand clasped in his to his lips.

"Can we skip to this?" he said, gesturing their joined hands toward the chapel.

"Not a chance in hell," she said with a laugh.

He pulled away slightly to give her a quizzical look. "Are you refusing to marry me?"

"No," she said, reaching to pull him close again. "We've obviously got issues to work out first, but I'm just saying when we do, we're eloping in Las Vegas. It will be just you, me, and Elvis."

"How are you going to break him out of Area 51?"

Sam laughed and snuggled closer. Jack bent to kiss her, ever so softly. "Vegas, huh?" he asked.

"Yes!"

Sneaking a hand up her thigh he asked, "Can the stockings and boots come, too?"


End file.
